Christward Collective

How would you like to learn theology while you sleep? Or, at least, from your sleep? It’s quite remarkable how much God actually teaches us through sleep. For example: 1. God reminds us we are merely creatures God created us with a need for sleep, a need as great as our need for oxygen and...

When I was a new convert--having been brought from spiritual death to spiritual life--one of the things that I distinctly remember seeing with new eyes were trees. This was, in large part, because the Lord was enabling me to understand in all the Scriptures the redemptive-historical nature of trees...

There is a popular opinion today that perceives Christianity as a religion of restraint. For many, the objection to becoming a Christian has to do with the restrictions placed on their freedom to live their "best life now." Christianity obstructs this kind of life by being a religion of...

If we’re honest, there are times where we meet a brother or sister in Christ and don’t feel like being a brother or sister in Christ to them. Sometimes the feeling is subtle and subversive--so subtle that we almost deny the feeling; yet we’ve allowed ourselves to be rubbed the...

God loves me. These three words give serious occasion for reflection and delight. However, if you are anything like me you find yourself chasing this sweet taste of divine benevolence with other theological tonics, with the end result being that we think that we constantly need to feel guilty in...

What does your family tree look like? I am not so concerned about your biological family tree. Frankly, that is of very little interest to me. I'm interested in your spiritual family tree. From where did you come spiritually? Who shared the faith with you? And who shared the faith with them? If...

Discouragement. Fear. Doubt. These three harbingers of anxiety may not have been Paul's “thorn in the flesh” but for most of us they remain as constant reminders of a fallen world still in need of mending. At the same time these negative emotions give us ample opportunity to look to...

Why study shadows when we have the Son? That’s a question I’m often asked when I’m trying to promote more reading of the Old Testament. The question is usually focused specifically upon typology. Why study the types when we have the anti-type? It’s a valid question and if...

When I was a freshman student in Bible college I had a conversation with a senior who was excited to graduate and plug into pastoral ministry. One day he said to me, "I don't need this theology crap. I just need my degree so I can get to work." I was shocked when I heard that then,...

In the previous two posts in this series (see here and here ), I sought to set out the Exodus principle as we observe it applied both to individuals and to the nation of Israel. Before moving on to the theological center of the Exodus principle, namely, Christ and his experience, we should briefly...